Killer Instinct: Season 3 Comes to Windows 10 with Xbox One Cross-play Functionality

Windows 10 is becoming an increasingly popular OS among gamers and there have recently even been rumors regarding a Windows 10 console. But that is most likely far from the truth, since Microsoft has Xbox One already and it’s doing quite fine.

The popular Killer Instinct fighting game series will finally land on Windows 10, according to a recent posting on the official Xbox Wire website. The release date for both Windows 10 and Xbox One is set for March 29, so get your gear ready for launch day. We’ve already seen today the release of Gears for War for Windows 10, so gaming is in full swing when it comes to Windows 10!

Killer Instinct’s Season will come with new characters, such as a version of Halo’s Arbiter along with Battletoads’ Rash, Kim Wu, Tusk and other characters which will soon be revealed.

Here’s how Adam “Keits” Heart, Lead Combat Designer at Iron Galaxy Studio, describes some of the characters:

Arbiter’s high-concept move set is certainly a tough act to follow, but fellow newcomer Tusk seems more than able to hold his own. “He’s an immortal barbarian – a very, very old, very wise man,” He sure doesn’t act his age; he doesn’t seem to have much trouble hoisting his six-foot claymore, which gives remarkable, screen-clearing reach to his basic toolset. Based on our brief exposure to Tusk, he seems built to zone opponents with his inherent range in tandem with his slide attacks. He can also punish reckless advances with a deadly uppercut, and perform vicious, skewering follow-ups once they’re on the ground.

Rash and Kim Wu, Season 3’s previously-announced additions, were also playable at the Spring Showcase. Like Arbiter, Battletoads’ Rash feels like he was pulled straight out of his game of origin. The mechanics that drive him work as you’d expect in a contemporary fighting game, but they’ve been clearly designed to evoke his origins.

Kim Wu isn’t anywhere near as over-the-top, though she seems exceedingly effective in her own right. The nunchaku-wielding Dragon Guardian is built for a poke-heavy, mix-up play style, with basic attack chains that incorporate advances or retreats, depending on which punch button you use. She can quickly punish mistakes with a lightning-fast kick attack with varying angles, and shut down attempts to zone her with a safe, mashable projectile-deflection. “She can control the pace of the game,” “You have to play at her speed.”

Killer Instinct: Season 3 will be released with cross-play functionality between Windows 10 and Xbox One platforms, so if you own both environments, you are among those who will be able to try this out. There are still more details to be revealed about this expansion, so we’ll be keeping an eye on this.